How to Filter Data in Google Sheets

You have a table of tickets and want to see only the ones marked Open. A filter hides the rows that do not match and brings them back when you clear it.

Select the data

Click any cell inside the table. Sheets detects the surrounding block, including the header row. To control the exact area, drag across the whole range instead, for example A1:D100.

Create the filter

Click Data, Create a filter, or click the funnel icon in the toolbar. A small funnel button appears in every header cell and the filtered range gets a light border.

Pick what to show

Click the funnel in the header of the column you want to filter, for example Status. Then use one of the two sections:

• Filter by values lists every distinct value in the column. Untick the ones to hide, or click Clear and tick only Open.
• Filter by condition offers tests such as Text contains, Greater than, Date is before, and Is empty. Pick one and enter the value.

Click OK. Rows that do not match disappear and the funnel icon turns solid to show the column is filtered. Filter another column the same way to narrow further.

Sort from the same menu

Click a header funnel and choose Sort A to Z or Sort Z to A at the top of the menu. The whole table reorders by that column, and the header row stays in place.

Remove the filter

Click Data, Remove filter. Every hidden row returns and the funnel buttons disappear. To keep the filter but reset one column, open its funnel and click Select all, then OK.

If other people are working in the sheet. A regular filter hides rows for everyone who opens the file. Click Data, Filter views, Create new filter view instead. The view gets a name and its own dark gray header bar, applies only to you, and can be reopened later from the same menu.

For a formula version. The FILTER function copies matching rows to a new place and leaves the source untouched: =FILTER(A2:D100, C2:C100="Open") returns every row where column C says Open, and it updates as the data changes.